Thursday, February 5, 2009

Like the Sands through the Hourglass.....

....time is ever slipping, slipping. (You thought I was going to say something relating to the soap opera, didn't you?) Anyway, owing to a round of busy-at-the-Museum ... I haven't taken time to visit here. We're doing a lot more Outreach programs, and they require some advance preparation, even the ones we've done a few times. Gotta keep 'em fresh for the new audience, you know.

Anyway, not writing the blog in this case also means not writing. Not on my novel, not any short stories, no editing, no polishing ... just plain no writing. And this is not good.

As if THAT doesn't make me feel crappy enough --- my birthday resolution of at least SUBMITTING in this, my 65th year, has fallen by the wayside too, and that bums me out more than I even thought it would. I am BIG-TIME BUMMED.

Sooooo....I'm renewing the resolution and adding to it. I admit, these are Intentions, and at this rate I'll be sailing straight to Hell in a galleon of gold with sails of shimmering silver silk. With a fancy dining room serving gourmet fare. "I'll take the baby back ribs, thanks."

I am redeemed (in the tiniest most insignificant way) by the fact that I am, at least, reading, and at the top of my list is "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle", a Wisconsin-based story. It's a first novel (oh GROOAAN!) by a fellow who grew up in Wisconsin, though he lives somewhere else now.

It's also an Oprah Book Club book; normally any designation of "best-seller" is an instant turn-off for me. When there's been weeks and weeks of hypehypehypehype I get turned off, and I suspect it's because prior to my feeling this way I DID read some such books and discovered that none of them fit the buzz.

This book is an exception, though. I've avoided reading or listening to ANYTHING about the book past the mention on NPR. It was at the top of my "when-I-get-out-to-Barnes&Noble" list.........but then the truly dear coordinator at one of the senior centers we go to (see "Outreach", above) gave us a copy as a thank-you gift! I was really excited to have it!

Now -- for me, it's NOT a fast, can'tputitdown kind of book. It's a delicious book to be read slowly and savoured, and that's how I'm reading it. While it's not as evocative as some things it's a strong story being told well. When I finish it, I think I'll incorporate it into our program on Wisconsin authors, because I think it merits attention for the guy.

First novel indeed! Hmph!